I’m currently in California right now where the sky has been a thick dingy gray or a bleek orange for a few weeks due to the wild and numerous fires our state is experiencing. I actually left my Brooklyn apartment to quarantine with my family in California where I could enjoy long walks and nature responsibly. Well, due to the fires, I’ve been staying indoors to avoid the compromised air. It’s put me and so many others in a funk, amidst a pandemic. It reminds me of the thousands, if not millions of people affected by seasonal depression annually. 

This year it might be harder to avoid – considering in many cities sheltering-in-place is still required. But that doesn’t mean we can’t fight depression! Below are a couple ways to ease and avoid seasonal depression this year. Godspeed!

10 minute walks

Of course, this is not always possible. But if you feel comfortable, even 10 minutes outside or in nature can significantly boost moods. Just please, mask up!

Try a Light Box

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, thirty minutes of light exposure could help. Light therapy boxes mimic the light from sunshine.

Plant life

Succulents, house plants and all of the between could be the difference for you this year. Research shows that gardening can fight off depression. 

Meditation

There are so many free apps to help you with breathing, transporting your mind to a private island, and just calming you in general. 

Invest in a Dawn Simulator

Sounds weird but it’s not and it totally works. Dawn simulators are devices that wake you up by gradually producing light from dull to intense, just like the sun.